


Left Side Or Right?

by liddie



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Humor, Getting Together, M/M, Sharing a Bed, shance, they are both college students
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-05-29 17:18:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15077990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liddie/pseuds/liddie
Summary: When Lance accidentally locks himself out of his dorm room he finds himself on Shiro's doorstep hoping that this falls under Shiro's offer of "Let me know if you need help with anything."Luckily for him, it does.





	Left Side Or Right?

**Author's Note:**

> This is my piece for the Voltron Summer Bash Gift Exchange! My gift goes to aastronico on tumblr - I decided on going the college AU route, I hope you like it! It was lots of fun to write :)

* * *

 

The door opens and Lance swallows audibly at the sight of Shiro's freshly showered and very bare chest. The older student lowers the towel he was drying his hair with, blinking twice.

“Lance?”

“Hey, Shiro.” Lance does his best attempt at a casual smile, as if showing up outside someone's door at two in the morning in nothing but boxer shorts and a t-shirt is an everyday thing. “What's up?” He hugs the ratty couch pillow he's brought along with him closer to his chest when Shiro doesn't reply immediately. “Sorry, is this a bad time?”

“It's... it's two in the morning,” Shiro points out and Lance nods because yes, of course two in the morning is a bad time to come knocking on someone's door. Especially when that someone is the person you have a huge crush on. “Is something wrong? Are you okay?”

Lance is quick to wave his free hand. “No, no, everything is okay. I'm totally fine.” He has to look away because there's only so much shirtless Shiro his heart can take. “Actually, this was a bad idea. Sorry for showing up like this and disturbing y--”

“Is that a pillow from the common room couch?” The face Shiro is making is pretty hilarious and Lance nods, the knot of nerves in his stomach loosening a bit.

“Yeah, it's the one with the fewest stains.” Lance holds it out in front of himself to inspect it and then realizes he probably doesn't want to do that. “It's still pretty gross though, I'll give you that.”

They share a smile and turn when the sound of obnoxious laughter and drunken shouting drifts up from the stairwell. Shiro throws the towel over one of his shoulders so he can hold the door open a bit wider. “Come on, let's talk inside.”

Lance steps into the the single room dorm and turns when Shiro tugs at the corner of his couch pillow. “Yeah, I'll just leave this by the door,” Lance laughs as he drops it and follows Shiro toward the couch. “Woah, you really have it made here. Wait, is that your own bathroom?”

“Yeah, the place is pretty small but I don't mind as long as I can shower in peace.” He flips on the light to show Lance the tiny bathroom, steam still fogging up the circular mirror from Shiro's shower. Grabbing the towel from his shoulder Shiro hangs it neatly on the hook by the light switch.

“Total envy.” Lance rubs at his bare arm. “I swear the only time the showers are empty on my floor is at like, four in the morning.”

Shiro agrees with a nod. “I don't miss those days.”

Lance settles on the couch and Shiro sits on the arm at the opposite end, one hand sliding through his dark hair and pushing it back. It's like watching a model in his natural element. Shiro is so effortlessly cool.

“So...”

It takes Lance a second to stop staring. “I bet you have questions.”

“Maybe a few.” Shiro offers Lance a smile. “The most pressing one being why you're carrying around one of those couch pillows at two AM.”

“Well, there's an explanation for that. It might not be a very exciting one but...” Lance picks at the hem of his pineapple print boxers. “So, I locked myself out of my dorm. Again. And Hunk is gone for the night to visit his girlfriend so that's a dead end.”

When Lance looks up he can see that Shiro is trying not to smile. “Sorry, it's not something to laugh at.”

“It's okay, I laughed at myself.” Lance confesses as he smooths out the fabric covering his thighs. At least these boxers don't have holes in them. “Pidge says I'd forget my head some days if it wasn't attached to my body.”

“I have those days, too.” Shiro rubs along the back of his neck. “But can't you just have your RA come and unlock the door?”

Lance sighs and flops over on the couch. “If only it was that easy. I've already had them unlock the door three times this month and they said that if I called again I'll have to pay a fee and have a new lock installed. They called it 'initiative to remember my key.' Can you believe that?”

“That seems a little extreme,” Shiro agrees with a shake of his head.

“So instead of ruining Hunk's night or paying a ton of money I tried to sleep on the couches in the common room,” Lance says and Shiro winces in sympathy. “I only lasted about an hour. I swear more people were coming in and out than they do during a weekday. And everyone is so loud and drunk on the weekends.” Rolling over Lance lies face down and breathes in the clean scent of Shiro's furniture. He mumbles something into the cushion.

The end of the couch dips and Lance looks up to see Shiro's thigh and the Garrison logo printed on his sweatpants. “I didn't catch that last part.”

Letting out a sigh Lance turns onto his side to curl up in a ball. “I remembered what you said a weeks ago after we finished our project, about just asking if I needed help with anything.” Lance's cheeks are flushed a light pink as he talks to the coffee table. “I'm pretty desperate for a place to stay the night, does that count as needing help?”

“Lance.” Shiro's voice is quiet and Lance swears he feels fingertips brushing through his hair. “You don't have to be embarrassed to ask for help of any kind. We're friends, right?” Lance feels a twinge of disappointment settle in his stomach at the 'friends' comment but he nods anyway. Being friends with Shiro is way better than being one of those poor underclassmen who stare longingly after Shiro when he walks by.

Lance has seen them, they're a real thing. And he is— _was_ one at one point, too.

“Yeah, friends.” Sitting up Lance tries to flatten his hair back into place before he looks at Shiro. “Thanks, Shiro.”

“You don't have to thank me.” Getting to his feet Shiro motions toward the door opposite the bathroom. “But as for tonight, you can take the bed and I'll sleep on the couch.”

“Whoa, whoa, no way.” Lance waves his hands, getting to his feet as well. “If anyone is taking the couch it's gonna be me. I'm the one intruding on you in the first place.”

“You're not intruding at all.” Shiro places a warm hand on Lance's back and guides him toward the bedroom. It works better than it should since Lance is busy reveling in the warmth of Shiro's touch. “I insist. Here, let me change the bedding.”

At the thought of making Shiro dig out freshly washed sheets Lance panics. “No way!” He blurts out and Shiro falters, whipping around to stare at Lance after his outburst. “I mean, you don't have to go through the trouble. It's late and I'm sleeping on the couch anyway.” Turning around Lance heads through the doorway but Shiro grabs his hand.

Lance turns his head to look at the older student. Shiro's gaze is a mix of exasperated and fond, a smile tugging at his lips. “Please take the bed, Lance. I'll feel better if you do.”

“Why don't we _both_ take the bed then?” The suggestion is out before Lance can stop it. He has to be imagining it but Shiro looks a little startled and is that a blush on his cheeks? “I mean—”

“Okay.” Shiro squeezes Lance's hand subconsciously. “We're both adults, we can share a bed.”

“Yeah, sure. It's not like I'm going to attack you in your sleep or anything.” Lance wants to smack his head against the wall.

Shiro grins. “I'm glad my virtue is safe. I was really worried for a minute there.”

“Shut up!” Lance laughs, knocking his shoulder into Shiro's. Shiro seems to notice he's still got a hold of Lance's hand and he lets go, Lance already missing the warmth of it. Maybe his hands are super sweaty? He discreetly wipes his palms on his boxers.

“Alright well, right side or left?” Motioning toward the bed Shiro looks at Lance.

The younger student shrugs. “Whichever. I'm not picky.”

“I'll take the left, then.” Shiro walks over to the bed and Lance follows, flopping onto the right side. It doesn't slip his notice that Shiro has put himself between Lance and the door, but Lance doesn't read too much into it. Maybe Shiro just likes the left side better.

As Shiro slips out of the room to go check the door and turn out the lights Lance takes the opportunity to look around his bedroom. It's pretty sparse in decorations, unlike Lance's room where the walls are covered in posters and Polaroid photos. A full bookshelf rests against one wall and there's a desk on the opposite side next to a door Lance assumes is a closet. Lance's eyes drift around until they land on a pair of black reading glasses on the bedside table beside a beat up paperback. Lance clutches his heart at the thought of Shiro wearing them as he reads in bed.

“All locked up,” Shiro interrupts Lance's fantasy as he comes back into the room and closes the door. “Are you sure about this? I honestly don't mind sleeping on the couch.”

“Get over here,” Lance huffs, patting the empty side of the bed. “I talk in my sleep,” he warns. “Mostly Spanish, from what Hunk says. It's not too late to kick me out.”

Shiro whacks Lance with a pillow and they both laugh.

After a bit of moving around and getting comfortable Shiro turns off the bedside light and they lay in the darkness. Lance lays on his back and has to bite his lip to curb a smile when he sees the glow stars on the ceiling.

“Those are nice,” Lance says quietly and Shiro lifts his head to see what he's talking about.

“Oh, are they too bright? I'm so used to them now.” He settles back down and continues quietly. “Keith and I decided to stick them up there over the summer. We had a star map out and everything. We argued a lot,” Shiro chuckles at the memory.

Lance lifts a hand and traces the constellations with his fingertips. “I think it looks awesome. This is your very own stargazing spot.”

Shiro hums in agreement. Silence falls once more but Lance is no closer to falling asleep than he was earlier, every part of him hyper aware of Shiro just a few inches away.

“Shiro,” he whispers a little while later because he can't hold it in anymore. Lance turns onto his side. “Are those your reading glasses?”

“No,” Shiro whispers back. “They're my mom's.”

Lance's face pinches in confusion. “Why do you—“ Shiro's body shakes the bed as he laughs. “Hey!”

“Sorry,” Shiro chuckles as he turns to face Lance. It's too dark to see him properly but Lance can make out the slope of his nose and the curve of his chin. “Of course they're mine. Who else would they belong to?”

“I don't know, maybe your girlfriend.” Lance closes his eyes and refrains from burying his face in the pillow.

“No girlfriend.”

“Oh.” Opening an eye he squints at Shiro in the dark. “Really?”

“I haven't really met a woman I'd like to date,” Shiro murmurs and shifts his head to the edge of his pillow, a few inches closer to Lance.

Lance takes a deep breath, his voice quiet. “Boyfriend, then?”

There's a pause. “I'm kind of working on that one. Hoping, really,” Shiro replies and with his eyes adjusted to the dark Lance can see Shiro looking at him.

Suddenly Lance's mouth feels very dry. “Oh,” his voice sounds too loud in the silent room. Somehow whispers sound different when murmured at night. “Are you?”

“Mhm.” Shiro hums in reply.

“What...um.. what's he like?”

Shiro's face opens with a smile. “He's smart, funny. I just learned today that he tends to lock himself out of his room on occasion.”

Warmth grows in Lance's chest and he snorts. “Bit of an idiot, huh?”

Shiro chuckles softly and shakes his head. “I think it's charming, actually.”

Lifting himself up with one arm Shiro leans over, Lance rolling onto his back in the same moment. Shiro's nose brushes Lance's before his lips do, giving the younger man a chance to pull away although that's the furthest thing from Lance's mind.

Their first kiss is a mix of soft, sweet and minty toothpaste.

When Shiro pulls back Lance lifts a hand and slides it behind Shiro's neck, grinning brightly in the dark as he pulls the older student down into another kiss. Then another, one for each constellation spread out across the ceiling.

A while later the bed seems bigger now that they're sharing the space, Lance pressed to Shiro's chest and his head tucked under Shiro's chin. A warm arm settles snugly around Lance's middle and he smiles, letting his eyes close.

“So,” Shiro whispers into Lance's hair. “Boyfriend?”

Lance presses his forehead against Shiro's shoulder, fingers tracing idle patterns across the bare skin of his back. “Yeah, definitely boyfriends.” They lay like that for a long time, too awake now despite the late hour. At least tomorrow is Sunday and they can sleep in a little.

“How long?” Lance finds himself asking after a while, shifting around so he can lay his head beside Shiro's on the pillow.

“How long for what?”

Moving his hand Lance pushes Shiro's growing bangs out of his face. He grins slyly, twisting the damp locks back into a messy version of Shiro's usual hairstyle. “How long have you wanted to kiss me?”

Shiro hums and pretends to think. “Hmm, a few weeks at least.” His fingers trail up Lance's back and across his shoulders. “I realized I was crushing on you about halfway through working on the project.”

Lance's heartbeat decides to bang loudly against his chest at the confession of Shiro crushing on him. It's probably so loud that Shiro can hear it. “Yeah?” Lance can't keep the smile out of his voice.

“Yeah.” Shiro rolls onto his back, bringing Lance with him to lay halfway across his chest. The skin beneath Lance's fingers is warm and firm and he presses his hands to Shiro's chest so they won't shake. “You're smart, cute and you have a great sense of humor. Even working on that project was a lot of fun. I was happy when we were together, even when we were just grabbing supplies or food. That midnight McDonald's run was one of the best nights I've had since starting college.”

Letting his forehead thud on Shiro's chest Lance groans. “I can't believe you're bringing that up again. They still ask me about those Hello Kitty pajamas every time I go in that McDonald's.” Warm fingers card through Lance's hair and he looks up, cheeks flushed pink at the intimate gesture.

“How about you? When did you want to kiss me?”

Lance could lie and say it was around the time of the project. That would probably save him some embarrassment, to be honest. But he doesn't want to lie to Shiro so he confesses the truth. “Uh, Freshman orientation.”

Shiro's eyes widen. “What, really?”

Propping himself up on Shiro's chest Lance gives him a look. “Don't look so surprised. You were the textbook hot upperclassman. You still are. I'm not convinced this isn't some crazy dream and I'm going to wake up on that couch downstairs.”

Shiro laughs, the sound settling warm somewhere in Lance's chest. “Don't sell yourself short. If one of us is dreaming, it's definitely me.”

Lance opens his mouth to protest but Shiro's hand slides behind his head and tips it down for a kiss, lazy and slow. When they pull apart Lance rests his head on Shiro's chest and sighs contentedly at the steady heartbeat lulling him toward sleep.

“I'm _so_ glad I locked myself out tonight.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> come find me on tumblr - [[kuroshiroganee]](http://kuroshiroganee.tumblr.com/)


End file.
